Dragoon Spirit
|thumb|350px]] A Dragoon Spirit (ドラグーンスピリット, Doragūn Supiritto) is the essence of a Dragon that emanates its power from a crystallized colored stone. It allows a being of its choice to become a Dragoon. There are only eight Dragoon Spirits in existence – specifically, seven original spirits and one new spirit. Usually when its previous owner dies, although there is one other known circumstance, the stone glows brightly and rises into the air toward its new owner, then gently levitates downward to them. When the Dragoon Spirit does this, it is said to be choosing, or recognizing a prospective host. Mysterious Nature ' death, Meru is filled with pride as she is recognized as a new host by the Blue-Sea Dragoon Spirit]] For all we know about Dragoon powers, the Spirits themselves remain an enigma that is more likely to draw out articles of faith and inventions of magical storytelling than factual reporting. So much the better for the story and for the player's involvement with their mystery. But first, what we know: Rose explains that war is not part of Human nature. Humans fight by making themselves enter insanity, and that "Battle Rage" is the source of power for the Dragoons. Thus transformation into Dragoon form outside of battle is extremely difficult. Measured with a Spirit Gauge, when enough Spirit Points have been accumulated, a Dragoon Transformation is possible. Dragoon Spirits merge with the host to create a fusion of Dragon and Human, with their strength and power webbed wings and resilient, heavy armor. They are subtle, too, having a different appearance with different people. For example, the Jade Dragoon Spirit, which chose (or was claimed by) the most Humans, each with a different appearance. * The Red-Eyed Dragoon Spirit recognized Zieg and Dart * The Jade Dragoon Spirit recognized Syuveil, Greham, Lavitz, and Albert * The White-Silver Dragoon Spirit recognized Shirley, Shana and Miranda * The Dark Dragoon Spirit recognized Rose * The Violet Dragoon Spirit recognized Kanzas, Emperor Doel, and Haschel * The Blue-Sea Dragoon Spirit recognized Damia, Lenus, and Meru * The Golden Dragoon Spirit recognized Belzac and Kongol and presumably Indora * The Divine Dragoon Spirit recognized Dart Lloyd was not recognized by the Divine Dragoon Spirit. Although Lloyd obtained from the Divine Dragon the Divine Spirit Stone, it did not react to him, as he had expected, and himself said at the time. Strangely, despite the fact that the Wingly race was enemy to the dragoons' cause during the Dragon Campaign, Winglies Lenus and Meru were chosen to be Dragoons. This would suggest the Dragoon Spirits hold no prejudice to race or alignment. Kongol (A Giganto), Damia (Half-Mermaid), Lenus (Wingly), and Meru (Wingly), are all non-humans who are also Dragoons. Greham, Doel, and Lenus are also villainous characters, implying the Dragoon Spirit does not hold itself to a heroic standard, either. The Blue-Sea Dragoon Spirit has never chosen a fully-human wielder. Damia, the original Blue-Sea Dragoon, was half Human, half Mermaid. Lenus and Meru, the others chosen by it, are both Winglies. As "The Legend of Dragoon" is similar to the sentai genre of anime in Japan, the Red-Eye Dragoon may be the destined leader of the seven Dragoons. The Divine Dragon Spirit never chooses a host other than Dart, although it had a great deal of opportunity to choose Lloyd. Even by the end of the game, it has not, making Dart the only wielder of the Divine Dragon Spirit. , who has his Spirit already, in attendance, Rose draws the Dark Dragoon Spirit from the Darkness Dragon. This happened over 11,000 years ago, at the time of the Dragon Campaign|thumb|200px]] Dragoon Spirits are indestructible and eternal. The death of one wielder could be a time of renewal for the Spirit's source of energy, effectively giving birth to a new Spirit. But the Dark Dragoon Spirit never chooses a replacement for Rose. It is the only spirit whose wielder remains unchanged from the time of the Dragon Campaign until the present. Rose is also the only warrior that comes with her Dragoon Spirit when she joins the party. Clearly seen in the ending FMV after the Moon-That-Never-Sets exploded, killing Zieg and Rose, the Red-eyed and Dark Spirit Stones lie on the ground, apparently unharmed. There certainly seems to be similarities between the magics of the Dragoon hosts of a given Dragoon Spirit, but there are many differences also, leading to speculation about whether it is in the individual that the potential for the type of magic rests, or whether the Dragoon Spirit itself is changing to create new abilities of the host. For example, Greham's "Dragon Crucification", Doel's "Judgment Storm", and Lenus' "Pillar Break" are abilities which none of the inheritors in the party have, nor do they have any abilities like them. Players may well be skeptical of the character's insistence that there is fate and destiny involved in the choosing of new Dragoons. As soon as one is released from an owner, it immediately chooses another person in the same room. Lloyd is a clear exception, though. We know for a fact that the developers authorized the Japanese version of the guidebook to state that, during the course of the Dragon Campaign there had been Dragoons and Dragoon Spirits other than the seven.https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/197765-the-legend-of-dragoon/77021091 A translation from the guide: :"In the era of the Dragon Campaign, it is said that there were many Dragoons, including the legendary seven, but they disappeared with the conclusion of the Dragon Campaign. :''When transforming, the consciousness of the subject and the Dragon are fused, and a dispute occurs as to which one dominates the body. Therefore, even though people of weak conscience can become a Dragoon, they will be dominated by the Dragon. :''The Dragon, which the Creator Soa believes not to have intelligence, is strongly destructive and the Dragoon dominated by the Dragon instinctively tries to destroy everything in the surrounding area."https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/197765-the-legend-of-dragoon/77021091 The discrepancies and contradictions between hypotheses entirely revolve around the motivation of the Dragoon Spirit entity and the nature of those upon whom it chooses to bestow its power. Every single hypothesis about Dragoon Spirits assumes that they have power and a '''will of their own' with which to choose, or choose not to interfere with, the ways it is manifested. This, in the end, is the single most important fact about the Spirits, as it is the one and only utterly indisputable one. Melbu Frahma and the Red Spirit exemplify the power struggle between this will and evil. Filled with the power drawn from others that dominated all of Endiness, Frahma/Zieg could not only control the Red-Eyed Dragoon Spirit, but break its bond with Dart as well. While Melbu was still weakened by his 11,000 year sleep, though, the Spirit fell from him and would not even allow Frahma to so much as pick it up and carry it away. Dragoon Spirit Legend One thing is for certain about the legends: they bring forth contradictory elements that require nuance and elaboration and most importantly, a multiplicity of compatible explanations. Dragoon Spirits cannot be simply one thing, because part of that thing must make way or it will be disproven by another thing. Explanations must be able to bend, or they will break. Most of these legends assume that there is something extraordinary about the Dragoon recipient. The Dragoons Spirits were created through a method utilized by the humans of the Dragon Campaign. We may assume this method involves defeating the dragon, but no records survive of that time, so we cannot be sure that the vanquishing of the Dragon is what summons the Spirit. In fact, we have evidence that that method does not work. The Divine Dragon Spirit allowed Dart to awaken and use his power immediately after it chose him. But, perhaps because Dart's father the original Red Dragoon was still alive, the spirit didn't recognize Dart willingly till Rose spurred them both into action. We are led to believe Lloyd's description of the nature of Dragoon Spirits, probably because he displayed perfect knowledge of where to find one and how to extract it. "This is the soul of the Divine Dragon. The flame of a soul that sparkles only at the last moment of a dragon's life...its crystal is the Dragoon Spirit!" We are offered up a picture of "the flame of a soul", when we later see the soul, part of a soul, or some unknown distinction of the Divine Dragon, in Mayfil. "Flame...that sparkles only at the last moment of a dragon's life" is a tantalizing concept. Perhaps it is the death of the Dragon that makes the Spirit: Dragoons rule over Dragons, and the Dragon's vanquishing creates a bond of servitude that is the Spirit. Not a mutually beneficial relationship, and definitely only speculation based on a somewhat unreliable source, but plausible. "Its (the flame of a soul's) crystal" implies that the energy itself creates the crystal, but since it is dug out of a Dragon's body, this need not be the case. Conversely, something in a living being is required to summon a Dragoon Spirit, as Shirley cannot. "I don't have an entity so I cannot draw on the power of the Spirit" Dart, the new Red-Eyed Dragoon is not able to awaken the spirit immediately even after the spirit chose him. Possibly this is because he is too young; he can not meld with it without a will to do so, but he learns how to wield the power once Rose awekens the spirit and him together. Perhaps we may find a little inertia here also; the Spirits appear when the need is great and must be stirred from slumber to be made to bestow their power. The Spirit falls from Zieg in Neet, perhaps refusing to be Melbu Frahma's tool. The spirit falls once again into Zieg's hands, but Frahma has inherited power from the Virage Embryo by then, so it seems likely he takes it by force. Dart and Zieg sharing the same bloodline adds more weight to the idea of Dragoons as being capable and therefore worthy of the Spirit, even if that only means they choose to not let it fall into the hands of fools or weaklings that would fall prey to the Dragon's brutal and wrathful consciousness. Dart has to have inherited good qualities from his father. , who wormed his way inside a Dragoon Spirit, and danced poor Zieg like a puppet the entire game, and yet was unable to even hold a Dragoon Spirit in his hands|thumb|300px]] If we look to negative examples required for a proof, ie people of bad character being refused the Spirit, we find Shana and [[Dart and Lloyd. This is somewhat confusing, since Shana is if anything too pure, Dart is a hero unblemished in any way, and even Lloyd is a perfect specimen of martial prowess and no dullard, with will and even honor enough to spare. Shana alongside Dart are the only Dragoons whose spirit left them and chose another wielder when they are still alive. The transfer of the Silver Dragoon Spirit from Shana to Miranda and the theft of the Red Dragoon Spirit from Dart bring forth a lot of questions. The Dragoon Spirits are said to choose those they bond with very carefully. If this is so, why did they choose Shana and then abandon her? One explanation is that Shana is the only Dragoon who wasn't truly the master of the Spirit that they used. Her mysterious powers allowed her to use the power, until the party met Miranda, when the Dragoon Spirit flowed to her from Shana. Although the same may be said about Dart, his was stolen by force, and the Dragoon Spirit of the Red-Eyed Dragon shined when he reclaimed it in the Home of Gigantos, thus recognizing him as the master. So the Spirits do not merely levitate once and then become like the Moon Objects; paperweights filled with Magic Power to use. They choose their own destiny when they can. But on the other hand, they have agency in the material world, and can not necessarily prevent villains seizing them and snatching them away. Only when the need was great and the evil was weak did the Red Spirit cast itself out of Melbu Frahma's hand, and he was busy asserting his control over Zieg in any case. , vessel for the Soul of the Virage Embryo, for the stern battle hardened Sister of icy Mille Seseau, Miranda|thumb|300px]] Perhaps if we look at the Spirit leaving Zieg when he became Frahma's pawn and refusing Lloyd who is deluded by Frahma, it makes more sense. Spirits then would have the gift of Sight: they can "see" the influence of Frahma on Lloyd and see the suitability of Dart's companions equally well. The Divine Spirit seems to be as slow as the Red-Eyed Spirit to activate, allowing Lloyd to fall against its enemy Frahma but bestowing on Dart, who had once held a Spirit but has none. Or perhaps it harbored a Dragon's vengeful grudge against Lloyd, or it believes that the good end can not justify the evil means. Nevermind that everyone is killing everyone else to get what they want; conspiring with warmongers is WRONG. Despite his hatred towards other lifeforms especially Winglies and humans, the Divine Dragon actually wanted to ally himself with humans just to be able to avenge his imprisonment against the Winglies and end the conflict between the races which he more than likely hadn't known ended 11,000 years ago but he didn't see anyone fit to use his power. Until his death at Dart's hand. However, Lloyd takes the soul before Dart can get it. This would conclude that Divine Dragon waited until someone worthy appeared to use him. . The Moon Trials are harsh and deceptive, but the War God's manifestation there when he struggles with Claire might evidence ambition in Haschel that makes him more akin to Doel than meets the eye|thumb|200px|left]] Although Lloyd is evidence against the doubt cast on the selectivity of the Dragoon Spirit, there is another possibility. The Dragon eyes might be only the vessel for the spirits. The best evidence for this is that there is a Spirit of a Dragon that has nothing whatever to do with Dragoons or Dragoon Magic or glowing orbs or any of that: the Divine Dragon Spirit in Mayfil. The Dragoon Spirit is a Spirit of any Dragon or ALL Dragons. It is an elemental force that draws its power from the rage and destructiveness of Dragons. But clearly, individual Dragons have Spirits of their own. However, this does not mean that the Divine Dragon Spirit was not present so Lloyd could not control it. The flash of light when Dart enters the chamber in the Tower of Flanvel proves the Spirit was clearly present in the Eye at that time, yet it chose neither Lloyd nor Dart. Though we know there were other Dragoon Spirits in the past, there might only ever be one Dragoon Spirit of each of the Elements we know. In this case, Greham's Spirit could not be duplicated by Feyrbrand's. At the moment of a Dragon's death the person who strikes the final blow cuts open the eye of the dragon and takes its power for itself. Perhaps for this reason, the Divine Dragon would not glow for Lloyd; but for Dart, who struck that final blow. The dragon's pride would only let it bestow its power on the one who was strong enough to defeat it. After the original wielder of the Spirit dies, the Spirit bestows its power on the one who defeated the preceding wielder. massacred the people of Basil; perhaps we would prefer to think he stole the Jade Dragoon Spirit. When he dies, it passes to Lavitz, who like the next wielder Albert is virtuous to a fault|thumb|300px]] It certainly does not only bestows its power on one with a similar outlook as the original. This is evidenced when the Red-Eyed Spirit gives itself over to Dart because of his similarity to the original owner, his father Zieg. We also see this when Lavitz is killed and the Jade Spirit goes to Albert, who was Lavitz's student and the person who got the most from his life. But it is contradicted many times. When the Jade Spirit gives itself over to Lavitz after he killed Greham, ruthless Doel to kindly Haschel, to a lesser extent uncouth brigand Lenus to bright curious Meru. And even virtuous Shana and honorable Miranda are, in two ways, polar opposites; Shana is kind but weak and a vessel for the Soul of the Virage Embryo, while Miranda is a stern battle hardened Sister of the harsh land of Mille Seseau. There were more than seven Dragoon Spirits.https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/197765-the-legend-of-dragoon/77021091 The source is assumed to be Dragons. But the Dragons, and Humans, and all the Species, got their power from the Divine Tree. Might Soa's very first and most powerful creation have objected to its demise, and the death of all of its children? Then the weaving of power between Dragons and Humans is not merely to overthrow the Wingly Dictator, but a grand plan to stop the God of Destruction eleven millennia after, also. Gallery Gold Dragoon.gif Dark Dragoon.gif Blue sea Dragons.gif Thunder Dragoon.gif Red Dragoon.gif Silver Dragoon.gif Emerald Dragoon.gif Jade Dragoon.gif Soul Silver Dragoon.gif Trivia :For the discussion go to the forum page. * The Golden Dragoon Spirit is the only Dragoon Spirit with more than one location, and is the only one that can be purchased. You can obtain this in Disc 2 at Lohan after obtaining Kongol, or near the end of the game in Disc 4 after defeating Indora. * Dragoon Spirits are listed as key items, and from the beginning of the game until the events in Hoax, Dart's Red-Eye Dragoon Spirit is named "Father's Stone". * The Jade Dragoon Spirit has the most chosen wielders of any spirit, at 4 total (Syviel, Greham, Lavitz, and Albert). Citations Category:Dragoons Category:Game mechanics Category:Legends Category:Unique items